Take On The World
by what-is-a-social-life
Summary: Obviously, Maya and Farkle (And the rest of the gang) are texting and talking behind the scenes, right? From Girl Meets World to Girl Meets Fish, these are the goings-on behind the scenes that propel the various on-screen events. [Prequel to "Protection" and "Oh, We Have Come To Abigail; Inconsistent updating- see profile for details]
1. World

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own these.**

 **A/N: Reading _Protection_ hopefully will not be required for this, but it's on my profile if you need it.**

 **Millie (And Lillie, though she's not mentioned here) are Farkle's younger sisters, both OCs. They're roughly Auggie's age, give or take about a year, and this story will contain spoilers for the entirety of seasons 1 and 2.**

* * *

"LADIES!" was the first thing that they were greeted with when they walked into their first period class. Farkle was sitting in the second row, staring back at them with a smile.

"Farkle," they chorused in unison, exchanging an irritated glance that neither really meant.

"I see you ditched the glasses," Maya commented as she sat down at her own desk, kicking her feet up on the desk itself.

"Millie broke them, so we just decided it was time for me to upgrade," he replied.

"How was your summer in Europe?" Riley asked as she took her seat next to Maya.

"Kind of boring," he replied, "But everyone else had a lot of fun, so I guess it was good?"

The bell rang and Farkle immediately shut up, glancing at the chalkboard in excitement, while Maya just laughed and slunk back further in her seat. Riley was looking at her quizzically, but Maya ignored it and waited for the teacher's arrival.

* * *

 **Tuesday** 6:12 AM

 _Happy second day of school!_

 ** _I really regret giving you my number when you wake me up at such an ungodly hour._**

 _I thought your alarm clock woke you up at an ungodly hour._

 ** _I'll see you in class._**

* * *

"I really messed up, didn't I?" Maya asked as they exited the classroom, their hair soaking wet.

Riley was silent, but Maya knew that she agreed.

* * *

The entire subway ride back to her apartment, she couldn't stop thinking about what Mr. Matthews had said. She glanced at Riley.

"Riles?" she finally said.

* * *

"Maya, Principal Yancy called me today," her mom said, leaning against Maya's bedroom doorway.

"Mr. Matthews already lectured me about it, Mom."

She felt her mom's eyes on her for a minute more before she heaved a sigh and turned away, shutting Maya's door behind her.


	2. Boy

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own these.**

* * *

"Talk to him," Maya says, but Riley shakes her head vehemently and Maya sighs. _Looks like I'll be taking the reigns. Again._

"Hey Hunting Hawk," she calls, saddling up to Lucas with a challenge in her eyes.

"Yes, ma'am?" he replies, tipping his imaginary hat at her, making her shudder in irritation before she says, "I need your number for our science project, because there's no way I'm letting you have us use cow patties as an energy source."

"Why of course," he laughs, putting his number down in her flip phone that she's only slightly embarrassed to have out. "Riley, do you want it to?"

Riley nods vigorously and he puts it in, grinning at them.

"See you tomorrow!"

"How do you do that?" Riley asks, in awe. Maya shrugs, but way, way deep down, she's fairly certain she knows the answer.

* * *

 **Sunday** 2:19 PM

 _Is there a reason my study buddy won't look up from her phone?_

 ** _She got Lucas's number._**

 _Competition!_

 ** _Sure, Farkle._**

* * *

She sits on the window bench in her leaky apartment, debating whether or not she should leave for the Matthews' house now and be able to snag some dinner before heading to the library, scrounge around in the kitchen for sandwich ingredients, or if she should wait for her mom to get home. Mr. Matthews had said he'd emailed all their parents before taking their phones, so her mom was at least aware that she couldn't text Maya that she would be home late, but her mom probably hadn't paid any mind to what Mr. Matthews keeping her phone really meant.

So instead, she grabs an old composition notebook from sixth grade that still had some empty pages in it and a pen before she begins to doodle random nonsense onto the page.

* * *

 **Wednesday** 7:47 PM

 _Look into my eyes!_

 ** _Farkle you're across town._**

* * *

"What's that?" Katy asks, nodding to the phone that Maya can't stop turning over in her hands in what can only be described as awe.

"Mr. Matthews bought me a phone," she says, instantly regretting it at the look on her mother's face. "It's only so I'll spy on Riley and Lucas for him," she adds in a rush.

"Well, then," she says slowly, each word like a stab in the gut, "I guess that's okay."

Maya knows she doesn't mean it.


	3. Sneak Attack

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own these.**

 **A/N: One of the advantages of being on spring break is getting to write more than one chapter in a day- even if it means giving you less time to do all the homework you have due when you get back.**

 **THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS GIRL MEETS TEXAS (PART I) SPOILERS!**

* * *

 **Monday** 5:39 AM

 _I'm heading over to Riley's this morning_

 ** _Why?_**

 _I have to nip this Lucas thing in the bud so I can have my one true love!_

 ** _You're adorable; you think it's still a bud._**

 ** _I normally get there by seven, so come around then._**

* * *

Riley leans her head against Maya's shoulder and she repeats Riley's words to herself.

 _There are other girls in this world. Bulldozers like Missy, yes, but also flowers like Riley. Riley is head over heels for him, and Missy's flirting with him, and it shouldn't matter to you that Missy's running her hand down his arm. It's just a stupid seventh grade crush, based merely on the fact that he's cute and he doesn't back down; you'll get over it by next week, so, in the meantime, stop forgetting that he's Riley's._

The more she overhears of Lucas and Missy's mostly one-sided conversation, the more she has to remind herself that Lucas probably likes smiley, goofball, flower _Riley_ , hence why he isn't responding with much enthusiasm, over her.

Then comes the fingers-up-noses incident.

"Farkle, take your dang- I said 'dang,' Mr. Matthews, so please don't give me that look- finger out of my nose."

And then she has to watch Riley crawl into a locker, and then she makes Farkle help her get Riley out of it once lunch is over.

* * *

 **Saturday** 1:20 PM

 ** _Which theater?_**

 _The one across the street from school. The movie's at four, so we should get there at like 3:30?_

 ** _See you then._**


	4. Father

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own these.**

 **A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviews, favorites, and follows! They all make me so happy; you have no idea.**

 **I apologize for not updating this in over a month; if you read some of my other stories, you may have noticed I've been going through kind of a slump lately. I hope to get at least halfway through Season 1 by May 14, as that's the last day I'll be posting until after all my exams are over.**

 **PS: I know the mentioned link is not really a link, but I wasn't able to type it out as if it was one.**

* * *

 **Wednesday** 5:03 PM

 _Riley said I'm supposed to tell you our French homework._

 ** _I don't go to school anymore, Farkle._**

 _You need to at least get an education!_

 _Go to this link: computer-school_

 ** _Fine._**

* * *

"Sit down, Maya," he tells her.

"Why?"

"Sit." Riley comes out of her room and leans against the doorway, watching on.

Maya has never felt like more of a Matthews.

* * *

"Ladies," Farkle choruses, and Maya and Riley turn around.

"Farkle," they respond, on instinct now. He opens his mouth, but before he can say anything Lucas leans over and says, "Riley, wanna dance?"

"Yes?"

"Hand."

"Yes?"

"Grown-up voice."

"Yes," Riley says and the two go out to the dance floor, with Riley awkwardly placing her hands on his shoulders while his find her waist just as awkwardly.

"I guess we shall be dancing?" Farkle says, taking her hand and dragging her away before she can even respond.

* * *

Mr. Matthews walks her to the apartment door. Riley's fallen asleep in the front seat of the sedan, drool dripping down her face, and Maya's not at all ashamed to admit it's her new phone wallpaper.

"Thank you, Mr. Matthews," she says, hand on the door handle, "For everything." He takes her hand and kisses it like the perfect gentleman and she rolls her eyes.

"Any time."


	5. Truth

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own these.**

 **A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviews, favorites, and follows! They all make me so happy; you have no idea.**

 **Two in a row! Whoo! However, this one's rather short, so I apologize!**

* * *

 **Saturday** 4:39 PM

 ** _Is this Romeo and Juliet thing seriously 3 extra credit percentage points for English?_**

 ** _Because I want no part in it but need points._**

 _Not even doing the sets?_

 ** _Maybe doing the sets._**

* * *

The locket's still there, like it has been for the past six months in Demolition's lost and found. She reaches in and hides it in her purse, hoping none of the salespeople are looking, looks around for a minute or two more, and then leaves without a backwards glance.

* * *

She lays in bed with all the lights off, playing with the locket's pendant. Riley's voice repeating _Thief thief thief_ lulls her to sleep like a gruesome lullaby. For a second, she almost believes it, but then pushes it that down into her vault of sadness.


	6. Popular

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own these.**

 **A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviews, favorites, and follows! They all make me so happy; you have no**

 **So I almost included behind-the-scenes of the Topanga subplot of this episode, but opted not to because this fic really centers on Markle friendship, and all the behind-the-scenes scenes in this whole series are from either Maya or Farkle's POV, which these would not have been. However, if you guys want me to add that part in as a bonus chapter, I need to get five reviews on this chapter saying they want to see it. I know that's kind of mean, but Cory and Topanga aren't the usual focus, so if you're that desperate to see it, I think five reviews isn't** _ **too**_ **bad, right?**

* * *

"Where's the Lone Star?" Maya asks when they walk into class.

"Home sick," Riley and Mr. Matthews say at the same time. Maya can't hide her smirk when she glances at Mr. Matthews, who seems distressed at the fact that Riley knows that kind of information about a _boy_.

* * *

 **Monday** 6:12 PM

 ** _Farkle whose apartment is your party at?_**

 _What? How do you know about that!_

 _Oh, right. Riley. Are you mad?_

 ** _That I wasn't invited? Not at all._**

 ** _But whose apartment?_**

 _Henry. The face of "prettyboy hipster," as Riley calls him._

 ** _This is going to be great._**

* * *

"What do I do?" Maya says into the phone, leaning up against the wall of her room. "And speak of this to no one."

"Of course not," he says on the other line before coughing loudly. "I don't understand why my mom's insisting I ride out this cold at home. Do you know how behind I'm getting?"

"Poor Huckleberry, not turning in his homework on time," she croons. She can practically feel him roll his eyes. "Help me."

"Maya Hart asking me to help her? Why I never!"

"Just do it."

"Well, get to the heart of the matter. Why does she have the right to dress like a Harajuku girl?"

"She doesn't."

"Exactly."

"That actually makes a lot of sense, Sundance. See you later."

She hangs up over his protests.


	7. Maya's Mother

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own these.**

 **A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviews, favorites, and follows! They all make me so happy; you have no**

* * *

"I'm coming to Career Day," Katy announces at dinner.

"Okay," Maya says, even though she doesn't believe her.

"I promise," Katy adds.

"Okay," Maya repeats.

She still doesn't believe her.

* * *

 **Tuesday** 3:29 PM

 ** _Why?!_**

 _Millie started talking about her boyfriend and then Dad jokingly asked me and Lillie and I just went with it!_

 _Pleeeeeeeeease go with._

* * *

 **Wednesday** 7:31 PM

 _I'm sorry._

 ** _Don't worry about it._**

* * *

 **Thursday** 4:42 PM

 _My dad and I are coming over for dinner while my mom takes the twins to dance._

 _If he asks, you're still interested in having baby Minki._

 ** _Farkle!_**


	8. Smackle

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own these.**

 **A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviews, favorites, and follows! They all make me so happy; you have no idea!**

 **More information about the significance of the ice cream parlor in Smackle and Farkle's relationship can be found in my new Smarkle one-shot "Little Things," which is currently on my profile.**

* * *

She'd invited him to get a smoothie with her, but he'd passed. He'd assumed she'd be sitting in that same corner in the ice cream parlor where she always is, but she isn't, and he doesn't understand why he's so saddened by the lack of his arch nemesis. He'd wanted to hear her thoughts on his arguement, wanted to talk to her about hers… But she's not there. He doesn't like it one bit.

* * *

"Dad?"

"Yes, son?" Stuart asks, looking up from his tablet.

"Maya and Riley were roped into helping Smackle prepare for the debate."

"What do you mean?"

"She had them make her what they say is 'pretty,' since-"

"Since the topic is beauty is skin deep, yeah," Stuart interrupts, "Go on."

"And now she gets all distracted by Lucas, and he's on the debate team. So I'll beat her, but it's not her."

"Why do you care if it's her or not?" Stuart asks him, giving him an odd look.

"Because…" Farkle trails off, trying to form his thoughts into words, "Because I do."

"Then maybe you should talk about getting her back to what you say is pretty- just her."

"I think that?"

"It seems that way."

Farkle shrugs.

"Can I go to Riley's?"

"Helena might be willing to take you; I gotta stay here with the twins while your mom's out."

Farkle nods and runs away, missing Stuart's muttered, "First crush."

* * *

"Come with us to Svorski's," Lucas says. Farkle looks at Smackle, almost hoping she says no, hoping that he can come up with a good enough excuse to get out of it so he can meet up with her at that ice cream parlor. Smackle looks at him, but before she can respond, her sister says, "Yeah, Izzy; Mom and Dad have to take me to the ortho, anyways."

"I guess I'll go with you, then," she says slowly, looking at Farkle, who almost wishes he could volunteer his family to take her to the ice cream parlor instead.

"Yeah, I guess so," he says.

* * *

 **Sunday** 5:18 PM

 ** _Farkle and Smackle, sitting in a tree…_**

 ** _What, no response?_**


	9. 1961

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own these.**

 **A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviews, favorites, and follows! They all make me so happy; you have no idea!**

 **If you've read "Protection," you may remember that, in honor of "Bay Window," I wrote one past!Markle and one future!Markle scene. So, for 1961, you get a May and Ginsburg scene.**

* * *

"One malted milk, please," she says, placing a quarter on the counter. The man behind the counter turns to look at her.

"Never seen you around here before."

"Never been here," she replies.

"Gotta name?"

"May Clutterbucket," she says. He gives her an odd look.

"Clutterbucket?"

"What's your name, then?"

"Ginsburg," he says as he passes her her drink and a dime with a flourish. "What're you here for, May?"

"Just passing through."

"That a guitar?"

"It is."

"You play?"

"Enough."

"You should get up there tonight." She glances behind her at the stage, smiling sadly.

"I don't think so."

"Go up there."

He calls her name and makes her go up anyway.

* * *

 **Wednesday** 6:43 PM

 _When did you learn to play guitar?_

 ** _My dad taught me. Guess I remembered a thing or two._**

* * *

 **A/N: UPDATED 9/24/16: Please see my profile for more information. You can access it by clicking on my username next to the story's picture at the top of the page.**


	10. Crazy Hat

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own these.**

 **A/N:** **Thank you to everyone who reviews, favorites, and follows! They all make me so happy; you have no idea!**

 **I decided you guys deserved this after yesterday. I will try to be better about updating this!**

* * *

"And why are you home so late?" Katy calls when Maya comes in the door. Maya wants to respond something along the lines of _Like you care,_ but considering her mom beat her home, she supposes she's in a lot of trouble.

"Riley got picked up by a trash truck. You can ask Mr. and Mrs. Matthews if you don't believe me."

* * *

 **Monday** 9:34 AM

 ** _Remind me again how many languages you speak?_**

 _English, Dutch, Spanish, and I'm learning German at school. Though I'm thinking of switching to French for high school; German's boring._

 ** _Okay then._**

 ** _And we're still going to crush you._**

 _Not likely._

* * *

She hates the Friars' apartment.

Not because of the giant "DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS!" sigh hanging up in the kitchen. Or how all the decor seems pulled straight from a country music video.

But because it's clean. Pictures of Lucas adorn almost every available surface, and there's a whole wall dedicated to his medals, trophies, certificates, and the like. The house smells like freshly baked cookies and everything is in its place.

His dad is back in Texas on a business trip, and she knows Lucas is kind of bitter that he didn't get to go. His mom is there, though. She has a deeper Southern accent than Maya's own mother and a double name, basically trademarking her as a Texan. She blatantly eavesdrops on them, speaks in the most awful clichés about eating healthy, and tells them she'll buy the muffins for them. Lucas thanks her.

* * *

"You want me to do _what?"_ Helena says, looking at Farkle pointedly. "I am not making you muffins made out of just sugar."

"Fine, I'll make them!" he says. "Lillie and Millie like the ones I made earlier."

"I'm sorry?"

"Hey, Helena!" his mom calls. Helena glares at him, then runs towards the playroom where he knows his mom and sisters are. He checks the time on his phone, then grabs the box of muffins off the counter and runs towards his dad's office.

"I'm going to Riley's now to work on our project!"

"Okay, text when you get there! And be back for dinner!" Stuart responds, and Farkle grins as he heads towards the subway station.

* * *

"I received an interesting phone call from Evelyn Rand today," Stuart says at dinner. Farkle crouches down in his seat.

"About the building space?" Jennifer asks, and Stuart shakes his head.

"She said she was worried about Farkle. She was at JQA today in his class and recognized him from the fundraiser last month."

"Farkle?" Jennifer asks, glancing at him. "Why would Miss Rand be concerned about you?"

He immediately launches into the whole story, then shrinks down even lower as his parents stare back and forth.

"Farkle, is that really what you've taken away from my company?" Stuart asks.

"The lawsuit-"

"Wasn't true; that's why we fought back so hard," Stuart replied.

"I'm a social worker, Farkle, and it's practically my job to tell if people are lying, and to look out for everyone. Minkus International goes above and beyond taking care of its customers and its employees, and I helped design the policies that makes sure it stays that way," Jennifer replies. Stuart reaches into his pocket and pulls out his wallet, then hands Farkle two twenty dollar bills.

"After dinner, you better ask Helena to take you shopping. You're going to spend all of that money on umbrellas or ways to hold them, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."


	11. World: Of Terror

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own these.**

 **A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviews, favorites, and follows! They all make me so happy; you have no idea!**

 **Guest who asked about Helena : Farkle, Millie, and Lillie's nanny who practically lives there, who has been with them since the twins were born just before Farkle started kindergarten. Sorry for the confusion! (She makes more appearances in my other Farkle-oriented stories, and sometimes I forget that not everyone has read them!)**

 **I included the Cory-Topanga side of Auggie's story because I just couldn't help myself.**

 **Finally, Farkle's first text about steampunk is directly copied from Wikipedia, and one line is directly quoted from the episode.**

* * *

 **Thursday** 8:23 PM

 ** _What is steampunk and why are we doing it?_**

 _Steampunk_ _is a subgenre of science fiction or science fantasy that incorporates technology and aesthetic designs inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. Although its literary origins are sometimes associated with the cyberpunk genre, steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the 19th century's British Victorian era or American "Wild West," in a post-apocalyptic future during which steam power has maintained mainstream usage, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power. Therefore, steampunk may be described as neo-Victorian._

 ** _Sorry I asked._**

* * *

Helena refused on grounds of not being his legal guardian. His mom said no because she _played_ softball. His dad said no because he thinks it's important for Farkle to participate in gym class since he won't play sports.

Mr. Matthews is his only option.

* * *

"You're not my type," she says, and wants to laugh, remembering the crush she'd had on him earlier that year, until she saw past his good lucks to the cowboy underneath. Not worth her time.

Except when he does irritating stuff like get Farkle through his fear. Why couldn't that have been her, damnit?

* * *

Katy has the late shift- again-, so Maya makes herself dinner before going trick-or-treating and meeting up with Riley. There's a note on the fridge saying Gammy- her great grandmother, not her grandmother- will spend the night, and Maya wants to laugh, because Gammy will likely show up way later than Katy would like. Maya expects Riley to be gone by morning, so to help her, Maya suggests going to bed almost immediately. Riley, somehow, doesn't even seem to notice.

* * *

"Pass me that Snickers," she says, and Cory does with a smile, taking a Kit Kat of his own. She's just opened it when she hears, "Mommy!"

She returns barely a minute later, Snickers gone. Cory's already onto his third piece of candy, but he's interrupted from his fourth by, "Daddy!"

He returns not long after, saying, "He's actually in the bed now, and I think it might hold this time." She laughs and he sits down next to her. "So, Mrs. Cory. One kid's gone, and the other is likely going to sleep. What say you and I-"

"I think I might want a third kid."

"What?"

"Putting our feet down in regards to Auggie sleeping with us means he's not a baby anymore, Cory. I'm not ready to give that up."

"I thought we agreed a few years ago Auggie was the last one, that we realistically couldn't fit another baby into our lives. Coming from people who had their first kid in college and their second when the father was in grad school and the mother had just graduated law school, that's pretty impressive."

"I know. Maybe we could like foster, or something. I don't know."

"Let's focus on some of that student debt first, yeah? By then biological kids will be out of the cards, but fostering or adoption will still be out there."

Topanga's response is cut off by Auggie's terrified, "Mommy!" that sends them both sprinting in.

They come back out after dealing with him and Topanga gives Cory a look.

"You thought it would hold?"

"Well, yeah!"

Cory turns on the TV and they watch in contented silence for about a minute before Topanga says, "Should we check on him again?" and they both bolt up.

* * *

 **Saturday** 7:39 AM

 _Did Riley make it all night?_

 ** _Yep! Gammy's making her famous French toast if you wanna come over._**

 _I can't; Helena's doing her Belgian waffles. I win._

 ** _No you don't!_**

 _I do so!_

 ** _Liar!_**


	12. The Forgotten

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own these.**

 **A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviews, favorites, and follows! They all make me so happy; you have no idea!**

 **GuestWhoAsked: Again, sorry about that! To answer your Lucaya question, well, yes and no. I am a major Lucaya shipper, so that bleeds through this entire series, as well as all my other GMW fics, but it's canon that Maya also had a crush on Lucas, one that he returned enough to almost kiss her and have conflicting feelings about her and Riley. Since I'm writing this _after_ that revelation, and mostly after the show has finished, I get the chance to explore her feelings in this story prior to "Girl Meets Yearbook," at which point my story "Protection" starts (Which I actually started writing first!), as well as several other plot points touched upon later in the show. At the same time, however, this story is part reaction fic (Hence why I had a POV from Cory/Topanga last chapter), and part a chronicle of Maya and Farkle's friendship and where they stand in each episode, so it focuses more on their characters/friendship than others.**

 **Questions like "Do you wanna build a model of Pompeii out of cafeteria-style mashed potatoes and gravy?" are probably not things Lucas's best friends asked him in Texas, Farkle thinks, but he sure seems to know what he's doing regardless.**

* * *

 **Monday** 1:20 PM

 ** _Sucks for you!_**

 _Oh you have it bad too._

 ** _I don't have to clean up vomit tyvm._**

 _Just type out thank you very much._

 ** _Less satisfying._**

* * *

 **Monday** 4:52 PM

 ** _Are you as exhausted as I am?_**

 _Eh._

* * *

 **Tuesday** 1:39 PM

 _I BLAME YOU FOR ALL THE PUKE I SAW TODAY._

 ** _Yeah that's fair._**

* * *

 **Wednesday** 7:12 PM

 ** _Good day 3?_**

 _I've seen things._

 **Thursday** 4:31 PM

 _Day 4?_

 ** _Ms. Thompson has worked here for twenty years. Isn't that insane?_**

 _Yeah._

* * *

 **Friday** 5:44 PM

 _What do we do after school now?_

 ** _Haven't figured out yet._**

* * *

"Helena?" Farkle says just as she's about to leave for the night, standing at the doorway pulling on her coat.

"Yes?"

"Thank you." Helena smiles at him and gives him a big hug, then leaves. Farkle realizes with a start that he doesn't know if she's married or not, and that simple fact starts to bother him. A lot.

* * *

Katy wasn't there when she went to sleep and isn't there when she gets up, but there's a tuna melt in the fridge, so she's been there. Before Maya heads to Riley's, she scrawls out _Thank you_ on a piece of paper and leaves it on the counter for her mom to find.


	13. Flaws

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own these.**

 **A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviews, favorites, and follows! They all make me so happy; you have no idea!**

 **Thank you for all of your patience in regards to this story! Now that it's summer, I should have more time to work on this, so be on the lookout for it!**

* * *

 **Monday** 2:21 PM

 _Why is Billy Ross in our history class?_

 ** _Lucas said he had to start doing tutoring or something and the only period it was offered was during history so he had to switch for like a week. I don't know._**

 _Oh. Good to know._

* * *

"Farkle, you don't have a fever, you're not stuffed up, your father has a huge meeting, I have to go to court, Helena has to run errands, and you can't stay home alone. So what's it going to be?" his mom asks setting the ear thermometer down on the counter.

"Can't I run errands with Helena?" Farkle asks.

"No," Helena says, setting his plate down on the dining room table.

"I'll go to school, then," he says, already forming a plan on how to get out of it, as long as Janitor Harley agrees.

* * *

"Alright, find Farkle task force, go!" Riley says. They've already scoured the cafeteria and social studies hallway at this point and have come up empty handed, so Riley has a new plan: Divide and conquer. Billy rolls his eyes, but heads out regardless. Lucas walks towards the library, leaving Maya and Riley. "Alright, I'll do the science and math hallway."

"I'll do foreign language and English," she says.

"I'll meet you by the janitor's closet before fourth period," Riley responds, turning back towards her designated hallway. Maya has no choice but to set off and tries texting Farkle again, but continues to get no response.

* * *

"I still think I'm sick," Farkle says, coughing lamely. Stuart raises an eyebrow. "Fine," he relents, already knowing exactly what he's going to do- or, more accurately, where he's going to go.

When he comes out of his room, in a collared shirt he saves for Hamptons clam bakes and holding all of his turtlenecks, his dad looks rightfully confused.

"Did I miss something?" he asks. Farkle vehemently shakes his head, not daring to say a word when he'd already told Riley too much.

* * *

Riley does it first, passing the marker to Maya and saying, "Write 'insecure.'" Maya smiles sadly and does it, then passes the marker to Farkle.

"Broken," she says, and he writes it for her.

"Mr. Perfect," Lucas says, and Farkle writes it with a small smile, before giving the marker back to Riley.

"Nothing," he says, never breaking eye contact with her, and Riley writes it. She gets everyone else to do it, but Billy sits at his desk, silent, and doesn't acknowledge a word any of them says until the bell rings, when he tells them all class is about to start and they should sit.

* * *

 **Thursday** 7:35 PM

 _Do you wanna wear turtlenecks tomorrow? I mean you don't have to but… Billy said he wanted to and I don't want him to be left out._

 ** _Only if I get the yellow one._**

 _Deal._


End file.
